Press "Enter" to skip to content

Toddler Copes With Mysterious, Polio-Like Illness | National Geographic


lucien oh that boy

lucien oh that boy our family has this like family phrase

our family has this like family phrase

our family has this like family phrase that we always say instead just saying I

that we always say instead just saying I

that we always say instead just saying I love you we always say I love you more

love you we always say I love you more

love you we always say I love you more than a camel and so this was one of

than a camel and so this was one of

than a camel and so this was one of those days where it was one of the

those days where it was one of the

those days where it was one of the doctor’s appointments and it was just a

doctor’s appointments and it was just a

doctor’s appointments and it was just a difficult appointment he wasn’t happy it

difficult appointment he wasn’t happy it

difficult appointment he wasn’t happy it was painful and he looked at me and he’s

was painful and he looked at me and he’s

was painful and he looked at me and he’s all mama I love you more than a camel

all mama I love you more than a camel

all mama I love you more than a camel you know in its moments like that where

you know in its moments like that where

you know in its moments like that where this child he changes everybody he meets

this child he changes everybody he meets

this child he changes everybody he meets I came home from work and my husband

I came home from work and my husband

I came home from work and my husband told me that Lucien was crawling

told me that Lucien was crawling

told me that Lucien was crawling differently than he was before

differently than he was before

differently than he was before so I looked at him and when I when I

so I looked at him and when I when I

so I looked at him and when I when I looked at him he was dragging everything

looked at him he was dragging everything

looked at him he was dragging everything from hip down kind of like a caterpillar

from hip down kind of like a caterpillar

from hip down kind of like a caterpillar he would catapult himself forward so I

he would catapult himself forward so I

he would catapult himself forward so I put him on my bed and I did a

put him on my bed and I did a

put him on my bed and I did a head-to-toe assessment because I was in

head-to-toe assessment because I was in

head-to-toe assessment because I was in nursing school at the time and when I

nursing school at the time and when I

nursing school at the time and when I did that and I checked his diaper both

did that and I checked his diaper both

did that and I checked his diaper both of his legs flopped out like a frog leg

of his legs flopped out like a frog leg

of his legs flopped out like a frog leg completely so my initial thought was his

completely so my initial thought was his

completely so my initial thought was his hips were dislocated because he was a

hips were dislocated because he was a

hips were dislocated because he was a breech baby

breech baby

breech baby so I bagged him all up and we went on

so I bagged him all up and we went on

so I bagged him all up and we went on our way to the ER the ER while we were

our way to the ER the ER while we were

our way to the ER the ER while we were there they thought that it was just

there they thought that it was just

there they thought that it was just something with his hip like a viral

something with his hip like a viral

something with his hip like a viral infection told us to take some motrin

infection told us to take some motrin

infection told us to take some motrin and go home

and go home

and go home so we went home that evening and he just

so we went home that evening and he just

so we went home that evening and he just continued to get worse

continued to get worse

continued to get worse I watched it moved from the legs all the

I watched it moved from the legs all the

I watched it moved from the legs all the way up excuse me to his trunk he wasn’t

way up excuse me to his trunk he wasn’t

way up excuse me to his trunk he wasn’t able to lift his head off of the bed

able to lift his head off of the bed

able to lift his head off of the bed anymore they did every test they could

anymore they did every test they could

anymore they did every test they could still no answer

still no answer

still no answer I was upstairs on the Internet

I was upstairs on the Internet

I was upstairs on the Internet and I was reading about the 25 children

and I was reading about the 25 children

and I was reading about the 25 children in California and it was so parallel to

in California and it was so parallel to

in California and it was so parallel to Lucien I immediately I really felt sick

Lucien I immediately I really felt sick

Lucien I immediately I really felt sick because I think you know you wait so

because I think you know you wait so

because I think you know you wait so long for a diagnosis and then one night

long for a diagnosis and then one night

long for a diagnosis and then one night just through surfing on the Internet

just through surfing on the Internet

just through surfing on the Internet I sure knew I had it we had known for a

I sure knew I had it we had known for a

I sure knew I had it we had known for a year that his leg was not going to

year that his leg was not going to

year that his leg was not going to return hearing the words was very

return hearing the words was very

return hearing the words was very difficult but really it was just a

difficult but really it was just a

difficult but really it was just a sentence Lucien has polio like syndrome

sentence Lucien has polio like syndrome

sentence Lucien has polio like syndrome now we go forward

from here on out it’s just kind of

from here on out it’s just kind of getting him to adapt to living with a

getting him to adapt to living with a

getting him to adapt to living with a disability

what’s important is Aleutians safety his

what’s important is Aleutians safety his his happiness you know making sure that

his happiness you know making sure that

his happiness you know making sure that Lucien doesn’t see himself disabled you

Lucien doesn’t see himself disabled you

Lucien doesn’t see himself disabled you know so he’s expected to help with

know so he’s expected to help with

know so he’s expected to help with laundry he does it differently than the

laundry he does it differently than the

laundry he does it differently than the other kids he’ll help me at the dryer

other kids he’ll help me at the dryer

other kids he’ll help me at the dryer we’ll do it at levels where he can

we’ll do it at levels where he can

we’ll do it at levels where he can contribute but that way too he gets

contribute but that way too he gets

contribute but that way too he gets self-worth which is important and his

self-worth which is important and his

self-worth which is important and his you know mental well-being for a disease

you know mental well-being for a disease

you know mental well-being for a disease that there’s only 25 people in

that there’s only 25 people in

that there’s only 25 people in California with and it’s very unknown

California with and it’s very unknown

California with and it’s very unknown it’s hard you know you don’t know if

it’s hard you know you don’t know if

it’s hard you know you don’t know if you’re getting the right equipment is

you’re getting the right equipment is

you’re getting the right equipment is this really what he needs and that’s

this really what he needs and that’s

this really what he needs and that’s where the polio support group really

where the polio support group really

where the polio support group really fell in for us you know they all have

fell in for us you know they all have

fell in for us you know they all have the same braces Lucien has you know and

the same braces Lucien has you know and

the same braces Lucien has you know and I’ve had parents literally pick up their

I’ve had parents literally pick up their

I’ve had parents literally pick up their kids and walk away I think in Lucien had

kids and walk away I think in Lucien had

kids and walk away I think in Lucien had polio and it was they didn’t hear

polio and it was they didn’t hear

polio and it was they didn’t hear anything all they heard was polio and

anything all they heard was polio and

anything all they heard was polio and they left you know and so now I said

they left you know and so now I said

they left you know and so now I said well you know it’s a virus that like

well you know it’s a virus that like

well you know it’s a virus that like polio but it’s not the live polio virus

all my kids are special every one of

all my kids are special every one of them I love him to pieces this one I

them I love him to pieces this one I

them I love him to pieces this one I he’s just got incredible Drive you know

he’s just got incredible Drive you know

he’s just got incredible Drive you know he’ll be fine

he’ll be fine

he’ll be fine yeah he’s gonna really make it

”

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *